In this inaugural episode of Mapping the Zone, our hosts introduce themselves and discuss a few topics to provide some insight into who they are and what they love about the subject of this podcast, Thomas Pynchon. Also discussed is what listeners can expect of the show going forward and which of Pynchon's books they will discuss first.

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

We've reached the end of The Light Over the Ranges, the first part of Against the Day! We were incredibly lucky to be joined by Johan Harstad, Norwegian author of Buzz Aldrin, What Happened To You In All the Confusion?, The Red Handler and, most recently, Under the Paving Stones, The Beach! We discuss our thoughts with everything that has happened in the story so far, the goofy, fun-natured boy-adventurers known as The Chums of Chance, the historical accuracy of Franz Ferdinand, some controversy around the Norwegian translation of Against the Day, and much more (so much more that there's a bonus epidsode in the works)!

Please check out Johan's work wherever you buy books and follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lacktr/

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Woo-hee! finally, we cover some real ground. Back on the Inconvenience, the Chums are bickering and splitting within themselves, while here on land our own crew are becoming "frazzled" in their own way. It seems such polarization can only be expected as we reach the end of Part One, but stay tuned through this analysis for the announcement of our thrilling conclusory episode of The Light Over the Ranges.

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Quaternions (somewhat) explained: https://eater.net/quaternions

Civil War Draft Records article by Michael T. Meier: https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1994/winter/civil-war-draft-records.html

Spirits of the Land: A Tool for Social Education by Ólina Thorvarðardóttir: http://www.literature.at/viewer.alo?objid=14721&viewmode=fullscreen&scale=3.33&rotate=&page=35

Films/TV: The Knick (2014-2015)

Music: “Cat’s In the Cradle” - Harry Chapin, “Father and Son” - Cat Stevens

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

With the recent passing of one of our favorite filmmakers, David Lynch, Kate and Cody sit down to talk about the impact of his work on our lives.

If you aren't familiar with his body of work, the discussion covers his entire filmography without spoiling any major plot points. He was a truly unique artist and one who will be dearly missed by the both of us.

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

This week in Mapping the Zone: Movement appears stalled. Not only do we remain with the Traverse household, but the only motion to be found is that of the mind. Kit begins to fathom the depth of Vectorism through the primal texts of electicity, and who is to find his talents but Nikola Tesla? It turns out, the understudy-in-perpetuity to Vibe, Foley Walker. The Earth may be striving to destroy our schedule, but the intrepids of this show shall not rest until we've ridden lightning through its heart.

We had planned on covering Chapters 9-10 in this episode, but by the time we were done recording, we had around 5 1/2 hours of audio, so the decision was made to split it into two episodes. As such, this episode ends with our discussion of Chapter 9—quotes, "Most 'Pynchon' Part" and details about our Part One wrap-up episode will be at the end of the Chapter 10 episode in two weeks.

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Quaternions (somewhat) explained: https://eater.net/quaternions

Civil War Draft Records article by Michael T. Meier: https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1994/winter/civil-war-draft-records.html

Spirits of the Land: A Tool for Social Education by Ólina Thorvarðardóttir: http://www.literature.at/viewer.alo?objid=14721&viewmode=fullscreen&scale=3.33&rotate=&page=35

Films/TV: The Knick (2014-2015)

Music: “Cat’s In the Cradle” - Harry Chapin, “Father and Son” - Cat Stevens

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Having made our way to the Rockies, now is the time to dismiss doubts as to what purposes Webb might intend. Not much travel along traditional coordinates in this conversation, instead we meet the waterheads of the Traverse clan and contemplate the molds in which the bonds between workers and those rascals who despise all shapes of mandate were set. Just try and keep your hat on, heavier things have been seen blown away in these mountains.

Next episode: Pages 97-118 (End of Part One)

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Films/TV: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (dir. Andrew Dominik, 2007)

Music: Public Enemy, Nick Cave

Books/Authors: B. Traven’s Jungle series (1931-1940); The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford by Ron Hansen

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Well, folks, the Chums have flown away, and our cartographers are stuck on ground duty. Don't feel too broken up, though! While the vertical may be abandoned for now, we'll trace and retrace Middle America alongside Merle Rideout and begin zooming in on Dally, a true heroine-to-be. Alchemy, photography, lovelornity, and more, await our kind listeners within this episode of Mapping the Zone.

Next episode: Pages 81-96 (ending on “Veikko was pouring vodka. 'Happy Fourth of July, Webb.'”)

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Films/TV: Godland (2022; dir. Hlynur Pálmason)

Books/Authors: The Public Burning by Robert Coover

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

While the Chums made landfall last episode, that descent wasn't even the half of it. In this week's ep, we go deeper into the world staging the Columbian Exposition, and begin acquainting ourselves with the relentless cascade of characters who populate Against the Day. You didn't think we'd be settling down for just another tale of carefree whimsy, did you?

Next episode: Pages 57-80 (ending on “...as if silver were alive, with a soul and a voice, and he’d been working for it as much as it for him.”)

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Films/TV: The Prestige (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2006),

Books/Authors: Progress In Flying Machines: Aeroplanes, October 1893 - https://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/i/Chanute/library/Prog_Aero_Oct1893.html

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com